This invention relates to a holder for a small-size disposable warmer, and more particularly, to a holder adapted to be used for applying a small disposable warmer of a chemical exothermic reaction type within the interior of footwear, such as a shoe.
Small disposable warmers employing, for example, an oxidation reaction of iron powder with the atmosphere, have been widely used, and there have been several proposals, for applying such a disposable warmer to footwear, such as a shoe or boot.
Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No.61(19 86)-8013, for example, describes how to make a pocket portion for containing a disposable warmer in an inner matting placed in the interior of a shoe, and how to set an air permeable bag containing an exothermic material into the pocket portion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,319 discloses forming of a warmer containing portion in the upper portion of a slipper-like footwear in order to contain a small disposable warmer to give a warming effect from above toward the front portion of the foot of a wearer
In a conventional footwear item, provided with an inner matting which has a disposable warmer containing portion, such as those mentioned above, the inner matting has a considerably large size so as to spread over the whole area of the footwear or shoe's bottom, resulting in a high cost. It is apparent that various sized shoes must be manufactured so as to be comfortably used by particular persons. As a result, it is necessary to stock inner mattings of various sizes in shoe stores and wholesale dealers. Manufacturing these various sized inner mattings is troublesome and necessitates large warehouse space, resulting in an increase in cost over the conventional inner mattings provided with disposable warmers.
The footwear described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,319 does not have such a inconvenient inner matting. However, the warming or heating effect from the warmer contained therein is given only to the upper surfaces of the wearer's feet and not given to the tips of the toes and the bottom portions of the wearer's feet. That is, in general, warm air is naturally apt to rise and resultantly the warming effect is likely to concentrate on the upper portion of the foot; that is, warm air does not propagate to the bottom portion of the footwear and accumulates in the upper interior space of the footwear. Because some interior space is kept between the inner surface or instep of the wearer's foot during walking and warmness accumulated in the space is apt to dissipate through a wall of the footwear's upper portion to the atmosphere, the wearer's feet cannot take the warmness from the warmer.
According to the prior art footwear of U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,319, the disposable warmer containing portion or holder for the small warmer is always applied and fixed to the interior of the footwear, so that in the seasons of summer and warm spring and fall, the holder is an obstruction and is felt by the wearer when the wearer's feet are placed in such footwear and disturbs the putting on of the footwear by the wearer.
It is very difficult to apply a regular-sized disposable warmer in the particular holder attached in an interior of particular shoes, such as boots, since such footwear has a portion wholly covering the overall instep and accommodating the heel. Practically, it is impossible to use a regular disposable warmer in such a shoe. It has been inevitable that large size holders are necessary for the particular shoes, resulting in the need for many manufacturing processes to make the holder and attach it to the interior of the boots. The boots will thus be expensive.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a compact holder for a small disposable warmer, which holder is adapted to be attached in the interior of a shoe for containing the disposable warmer in order to give a suitable and sufficient warming effect to the wearer's feet, which holder can be applied to all shoes of various sizes, and which can be produced at low cost.